ST JOSEPH’S Boys put an end to Corduff’s dream run in the SFAI Danone Cup as they showed their class to win the All-Ireland title in some style.
Corduff were bidding to become the first NDSL club, as well as the first from Dublin 15, to win an SFAI title but Joey’s showed no room for sentiment with a polished performance that saw them home at Jackson Park.
Sean Kenna and Eabhard O’Callaghan, coupled with an own goal, contributed to the win but their all-round team performance was something to behold and bodes well for the future on a weekend when the Sallynoggin club landed a string of league titles, too.
Corduff made a decent start with Jay Fitzgerald firing a warning shot from distance but Enda Minogue did well to keep it under wraps.
Joey’s, though, were shifting the ball well and they took the lead going into half-time when James Furlong’s devilish left-footed corner from the right flank wrought havoc, eventually flicking off the head of a Corduff defender and into his own net.
O’Callaghan almost made it two when his powerful shot banged off the crossbar while Rabby Minzamba needed to be alert to get in the way of Aran Moore’s follow-up shot.
Chances continued to come and go in the second period before the vital second goal came midway through the half. Moore was again a key component as he picked out Kenna who headed home at the back stick.
And the game was put beyond any doubt when O’Callaghan played in Kenna who duly returned the favour for the striker to finish off with a deft header.
They will now potentially represent Ireland at the Danone Nations Cup which takes place in Brazil this year with playoff games against the other quarter-finalists from this SFAI competition.
Last year, Malahide United produced a stunning performance when representing Ireland in London to see off some top level sides from the Netherlands and France to finish fourth in the world.
They have already won the DDSL League Cup courtesy of a 4-1 win over Shelbourne, continuing the club’s super run of silverware this month.
The club’s first and third Under-11 sides won their respective leagues while they also enjoyed glory at Under-12 and -13 level.
Their Under-14 Premier team finished off a great season with a 2-0 away win against Cherry Orchard having dropped just three points all season, finishing five clear of Belvedere.
